Not just the Beta (Oriana and Slade) novel Chapter 190

Slade

He and the boys headed back to the packhouse and Palmer smiled at him, “I think the pack being revoked and feeling like rogue territory has made Ana and her sisters feel more comfortable here.”

“How so?” he’d asked.

“Ana is not as unhappy, Maddie is perfectly at ease walking about, and Zara.” He’d chuckled softly “Is fully amused, with her game with Vance.”

“Game?” Vance had murmured.

“Yes, she’s actively playing with you, I believe, or that was how it felt to me in that hospital room.” Palmer nodded.

“She’s a devil.” Vance chuckled. “Is testing me and my loyalty, I see.”

“Yes. Is able to resist your charms, Vance.” Palmer snorted. “You realise what’s going on, right?”

“Not really, explain.” Vance had stated.

“I think, Palmer, we should just stay out of their…whatever it is.” Slade smiled. “Don’t get involved, if Zara is happy, that’s a good thing.”

“You two are in for a beating, you know.” Vance stated, but he was still smiling about the knowledge Palmer had just imparted. Vance, it seemed, thought of himself as only a Beta, had not realised that as part Gamma, he couldn’t charm his own Mate. He’d said it himself he was a gypsy, and so he could likely pull on both bloodlines, or they were both in play at all times.

It was no wonder the women were all over him, was likely bloody charming them into his bed without even knowing it, it also accounted for why Zara was so resistant to him. Being a Gamma herself, she likely understood more about it and could actually just smile and not arc up over it.

She was smart and cheeky at the same time, likely known for a long time about what he was to her. But she also knew he was in the dark about it, and enjoyed playing with her Mate in her own way, hadn’t told her sisters either he didn’t think.

‘Three of us, to three of them. Palmer mind-linked to him.

‘I understand.’ He nodded, and he was hoping this was the Goddess’s way of helping him bring Oriana back to him, so he could have the family he wanted right here with him. Inside his own pack.

He was sitting in the war room later that afternoon, with Vance and Palmer, and they were all reading through what had been discovered. It was way out of his depth; the amount of corruption and coercion that Roman and his unit had gotten up to over the years. It all went back right to when he and Elise had taken over.

There were white boards and pin boards in this room, and everything was being dot pointed out and pinned up there to try and make connections.

He saw that his mating alliance had been drawn up just the week after he’d been born, and was the oldest one in the pack. They had all been sorted out by date, to see just how far back it went. Aubrette’s name was up there on the white board, but then so was her age; she was only 29. So it was likely she wasn’t involved. She was only four when all this had started. He didn’t think she was involved. There were several question marks next to her name.

But the council wouldn’t rule her out because she would have been fully realised to her bloodlines by the time he was 16. So that watch he’d been given could have been imbued by her. She’d have been 20 at the time it was gifted to him.

The council were of the opinion that Aubrette could well have been groomed from a young age, to do this money for her Alpha and Luna and that was why she got her money returned to her after paying her contributions to the pack from her business.

He’d asked Gretta why they were looking at Aubrette, and it was down to her lineage, half dark witch and half fairy, and she was the one to create the moonstone jewellery for everyone wearing it.

But as far as he knew, Aubrette was nice to everyone, lived in a very nice house, with the most amazing garden he’d ever seen. It was due to her fairy lineage, he’d been told by her himself. “I honestly don’t see it, see her doing that.” He sighed.

“Mm, it’s still undecided among us as well and no seer will touch her. Her bloodline has been determined and verified. One of the kings on seers felt a kin bond here in the pack, hunted it out and it was Aubrette. They will not be risking incurring her wrath.”

“Kin bond? To who?” he’d asked.

“The former king’s warlock, Hendrick, he is her father, the seer is the girl’s aunt. Hendrick is a very powerful dark witch one who will likely extract revenge if his child is harmed. Kin are kin, regardless of if one is there with them or not. We don’t know if she has ever had anything to do with him or not.” Gretta had sighed.

“Unfortunately, the jewellery that’s made and imbued with dark magic, also has a charm of some sort on it to hide who created it as well. When it comes into contact with the person it’s made for, it attaches itself to them, and the creator’s bloodline is overridden by the one wearing it.” Austin stated.

“Blood of the intended… That watch I got, when I put it on, pinched my skin and drew my blood, just a tiny nick that healed over right away.” he sighed.

“It’s like everyone’s did, blood magic is widely used by dark witches, and Aubrette is half dark witch, so it’s likely she can wield it, though on that note Slade…if it is Aubrette that has done this. She’s quite adept at using magic and trying to evict a dark witch that has attached herself to the land or pack will not be easy.

“Her file states she is adept at magic, both sides of her lineage wield magic, we also believe that fairy side is a fire fairy. So, combine that with a witch’s fire, she could burn the place to the ground, with likely a single snap of her fingers and her place of residence would be the only thing untouched and remain intact.

He sighed heavily that was not a good thing. “I hope it’s not her to be honest. She’s a nice happy girl, from what I recall.”

“We just have to wait and see is all,” Austin nodded.

It was only an hour later when Alpha Larissa strolled into the room, “It’s not Aubrette.” She stated, holding that bracelet of Oriana’s up to the room, in a small bag. “The magic is on the stone only the seer will look into that, now.”

He was relieved to hear it wasn’t Aubrette.

“Those stones are bought from another pack.” Palmer stated “We don’t dig them up ourselves.”

“Do you know which pack?” Larissa asked.

“No, but they’d have to be on file somewhere. Aubrette would likely purchase them, so looking at her records, would see where they come from.” Palmer stated.

“I can do that.” Slade nodded and logged into the pack’s company files for Highland Jewellery. He checked the purchasing invoices, “The Blackened Paws Pack.” He printed the invoice and handed it over to the council. “That is where Elise comes from.” he sighed heavily.